morpho

noun

mor·​pho ˈmȯr-(ˌ)fō How to pronounce morpho (audio)
plural morphos
: any of a genus (Morpho of the family Nymphalidae) of large showy tropical American butterflies that typically have a brilliant blue metallic luster on the upper surface of the wings

Examples of morpho in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There's a blue morpho butterfly, a Hercules beetle, and a Chinese mantis. Patrice J. Williams, Parents, 12 July 2024 These phenomena, along with morpho butterflies’ brilliant blue wings, are examples of structural colors at play. Karina Zaiets, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2024 The films, inspired by how morpho butterflies create their vivid blue color with reflective scales, circumvent this with nanostructures that reflect light to produce color without heating up. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Sep. 2023 The fabulous blue morpho uses its iridescence to its advantage: When a predator approaches, the butterfly can flutter its wings rapidly to create flashes of light that may startle the hunter. Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010 The blue morpho, along with more than 30 other species of butterfly, actually was pretty easy to spot. Gary Warth, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2022 In its rooms, guests are greeted by a small wood and glass box with a blue morpho butterfly cocoon hanging from the top, waiting to emerge. Ali Wunderman, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2021 Evolving the farm into an in-room amenity was a natural next step for the blue morpho experts, initially for guests traveling with children. Ali Wunderman, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2021 Beyond orchids, seek out the garden’s many tropical plants and waterfalls At the Wings of the Tropics exhibit, butterflies like the blue morpho flutter overhead, looking like flowers in flight. Cameron Walker, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'morpho.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek Morphō, epithet of Aphrodite

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of morpho was in 1853

Dictionary Entries Near morpho

Cite this Entry

“Morpho.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morpho. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.

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